Month: November 2017

Every worker can have an off day, but when employees lose their ability to engage, the warning signs of occupational burnout can often arise. According to Tim Cole, the CEO and founder of consulting firm The Compass Alliance, there are four phases of burnout, which he dubs “the burn-out cycle.” Stage one: Loss of purpose

For years China’s top officials have touted their ambitious policy priority to wean the world’s second-largest economy off high levels of debt, but there is not much to show for it. On the contrary, a Reuters analysis shows the debt pile at Chinese firms has been climbing in that time, with levels at the end

For many people, getting into the holiday spirit means stringing twinkly lights everywhere, hosting parties plentiful with food and drinks, piling stacks of gifts for loved ones — and overspending. If you head into the season of giving without a budget, there’s a good chance you’ll come out on the other side with a holiday

Source: Ritz-Carlton Charlotte, N.C. One of three made-of-macaron trees at the Ritz-Carlton Charlotte, N.C. There’s no charge to visit the Holiday Wonderland, on view now through Dec. 27 in the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton Charlotte in North Carolina — but it will certainly make you hungry. Decorations include three trees bedecked with a total of

When you’re making out your holiday shopping budget, don’t confuse Santa with Uncle Sam. Of those Americans who expect to receive a tax refund next year, 54 percent have already decided how they’ll use that money, according to a new survey from Credit Karma Tax. (See chart below for a breakdown of refund uses.) The

The first time Josh Silverman addressed the staff of Etsy as their newly installed chief executive, he tried to connect with a work force known for its diversity, idealism and sincerity. “Hello,” he said. “My name is Josh. I identify as male. My preferred pronouns are ‘him’ and ‘he.’ Most people just call me Josh.”

Foot traffic at retailers across the country this holiday weekend may not have been as strong this year when compared to last, a retail tracking firm said on Saturday, despite effusive early results from some retailers. Preliminary data tracking shoppers’ visits to physical stores on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday shows a year-over-year decline of

Bitcoin is getting a Black Friday boost. The digital currency climbed above $8,700 to a record high Saturday following increased investor interest around the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday and Black Friday shopping. Bitcoin rose more than 6 percent to a record high of $8,725.13, according to CoinDesk, trading around $8,674 midday on Saturday. Another digital currency,

Penney also boasted a successful Black Friday, as it was one of the first retailers to open its doors Thursday at 2 p.m. “Hundreds – and, in some cases, thousands – of shoppers lined up outside our stores for popular items such as the cooks air fryer, Xersion puffer jackets, diamond jewelry and smart watches,

A permanent shift in spending could be more visible this holiday season, and economist Diane Swonk sees it coming at the expense of department stores. “They can’t seem to lure into the department stores those millennials,” she said recently on CNBC’s “Trading Nation.” “The move from bricks to clicks, and the hybrid of the two

Shoppers amassed at retailers across the country to shop deep discounts on Black Friday, but many stuck to the sofa and shopped deals from their smartphones. Adobe Insights, which measures 80 percent of online transactions at 100 major U.S. retailers, said mobile transactions are “hitting record highs” this holiday season. “The big story this holiday

As retail becomes more competitive, CEO of furniture chain Ethan Allen Farooq Kathwari offered some advice for struggling companies. “Today in retail, if you are a seller of a commodity, it’s hard to have brick-and-mortar. So, what you have to do is, you have to really combine the best of technology, personal service, and creating

Daniel Leal-Olivas | AFP | Getty Images An armed policeman runs down Oxford Street in central London on November 24, 2017, as police responded to an incident. British police said they were responding to an ‘incident’ at Oxford Circus in central London on Friday and have evacuated the Underground station, in an area thronged with

One of the most anticipated gifts of the year, the Instant Pot, was sold out on Kohl’s website already by the morning of Black Friday. But CEO Kevin Mansell told CNBC there’s a way around that, using the retailer’s mobile app and the option to buy online and pick up in the store, shoppers might

Medicare recipients who haven’t yet re-evaluated their coverage have about two weeks left to make changes. The program’s open enrollment period, which started Oct. 15, ends on Dec. 7. This seven-week window is generally the only time you can make changes to your Advantage Plan (Medicare Part C) or prescription drug coverage (Part D). And

“Investors are witnessing signs of trouble in the malls and falling stock prices in the markets,” Michael Sapir, CEO of ProShare Advisors, said in a press release. “For the first time, investors can turn these trends into a potential investment opportunity through an ETF.” The fund does this by taking a short position against the

He said that both bitcoin and gold complemented each other as assets, as the cryptocurrency was designed to be “digital gold.” “Bitcoin’s frictionless and immediate blockchain payment system resolves the criticism of gold as lacking divisibility and having problems with ease of transmission,” Naylor-Leyland said in an emailed statement. “I believe this recognition of a

Andrew Burton | Getty Images News | Getty Images A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange during the afternoon of May 7, 2014 Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell: Qualcomm – Broadcom is considering raising its offer to buy its rival chipmaker, according to a Reuters

Under Armour is on track for its worst year ever, but one portfolio manager is saying that the sports apparel maker could actually still be a long-term value play. “In the long run, looking at three to five years, if you are an investor, the fundamentals are so neutral and the stock is so low